


Pot, Meet Kettle

by Borntobemild



Series: Pot, Meet Kettle [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, At least he tries, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Cass and Damian may show up, Child Abuse, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Gen, I took a lot of liberties, Janet Drake died in childbirth, Jason Todd is Robin, No Slash, No editing we die like mne, Self-Indulgent, Sort Of, Steph Brown centric, Tim Drake-centric, Tim and Steph are cute kids, Tim and Steph meet as kids, Why Did I Write This?, but only at the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-21 07:30:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14911028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Borntobemild/pseuds/Borntobemild
Summary: Timothy Drake never met his mom. He has an image of her in his mind, of what he wishes she would be like. He has a life in his head that he thinks about, where his mom didn't die in childbrith, and his dad didn't spiral and turn to alcohol for his only comfort.Stephanie Brown finally got the courage to leave home. Leaving her mother behind, she's distracted by her guilt when she runs into a small kid, one who's run away just like her. Planning to live on the streets of Gotham together, their stint is short lived when the police bring them back home.Those few months they spent on the streets together spirals into a friendship that gets the two of them through their hardest points in life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Besically, Janet Drake died in childbirth. Jack Drake never sees if bringing a child into the world imlroves their relationship, and is bitter with Tim over her death. He never meets Dana (he never goes to physical therapy, and the time isn't right yet), and he hits a downward spiral where he wishes he never had a kid. That's essentially where I took the most liberties. Sorry if he seems OOC.

Tim Drake figured out how to hack his father's bank account when he was four years old. He had to, either that or starve. The entire time he did so, panic lay in his gut as he half expected his father to materialize out of the shadows and beat him for stealing his money. It didn't matter that his dad was in Somalia right now, Tim had had that fear instilled within him for years now. It was his dad's first long business trip away since Tim had been born. He did not hire a babysitter.

He took the money and left the house, going to see the circus he had heard was in town as a treat for his success. He went shopping afterwards, doing his best to pick out food that would be healthy. If no one else was going to take care of him, than he would do a good job of taking care of himself.

The circus was great up until...

Tim decided it was better not to treat himself. He continued to steal money after that, just for the necessities, and got a high out of hacking in general. He began to get good at it. He never slipped up, because he knew what his dad would do to him if he ever caught him.

***

The first time Stephanie Brown stole money from her dad, it was to buy medical thread. Her mom's arm wouldn't stop bleeding. She talked the five year old girl through the stitches. Her hands were shaky, and the stichtes were sloppy and it would scar, but the bleeding soon stopped. It became a habit of hers, taking just enough that he wouldn't notice, just the nickels and dimes to make a savings account for when he refused to feed her. It wasn't ideal, but she could survive.

A lot of her money went to painkillers. She used them sparingly, but her mom went through them fast. It was months before Steph realized that her mom was taking more than the allotted amount, that she was addicted. Steph stopped buying pain pills after that. Her mom stayed addicted.

Sometimes, Steph's mom asked Steph to steal things from her father. She knew Steph was sneakier than she was. She would reward her in small ways, a small bar of chocolate that had been on sale at the gas station, a dollar to buy one for herself. But the things she wanted Steph to steal were things like alcohol, or cigarettes. Steph often weighed the pros with the cons. Most of the time she chose to keep her mom happy.

Every night, Crystal Brown tucked her daughter into bed. Sometimes it was at eight at night, sometimes it was three in the morning, after her dad had passed out and they had finished nursing their wounds. Every once in awhile, she would be brave enough to read her a bedtime story. No matter what, she told Steph how much she loved her. It was a nice deviation from her dad's violence, or the jeers from the kids at school for her ratty clothes.

***

Tim wasn't going to look back. His dad wouldn't be home for at least another two months, so why was his heart racing with such fear? His backpack was filled with clothes, a credit card he snuck from his dad's wallet tucked in his pocket. As for food, he mostly stuck with protein bars. They wouldn't spoil and he could fit a lot if them in a small space.

Walking through the streets of Gotham alone was scary for anyone in their right minds. At a ripe six years old, Tim couldn't get his hands to stop trembling. It was cold, the harsh December wind cutting through his coat. The clouds above had the ominous look of a coming snow storm. But it didn't matter. Tim's arm had just healed after his dad broke it, and school had just gotten out for winter break. It was now or never.

He slipped into an alleyway unnoticed. His hands felt clammy and sweaty, his heart raced with fear. But he pushed forward, focusing on keeping his breathing in check. He was so focused on it, however, that he didn't notice the person in front of him. They slammed into each other, Tim stumbling backwards and falling back on his butt.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!" The girl in front of him gasped. She had a small bag slung over her shoulder, just like Tim. The right side of her face was darkened by bruises.

"That's okay." Tim took her offered hand and she helped him to his feet. "Thanks."

"Of course!" She replied. "What's your name?"

"I'm Tim."

"Steph!" She smiled brightly at him. It looked like it hurt. No one had ever smiled that big at Tim before. "So Tim, what are you doing out in Gotham in the middle of the night?"

He stared at Steph for a second, taking in the young girl's appearance. She looked like she was his age, and she had the same vunlerable and scared look that he saw in his eyes every time he looked in the mirror.

"I'm running away," He whispered to her. Steph's smile seemed to become much less fake.

"No way! Me too!" She showed him her bag with a look of pride.

"You know," Tim began, offering Steph a smile of his own. "If we wanted to we could stick together. It'll be easier to make it on the streets with a little more help."

"Probably." Steph conceded. "You don't think I'd slow you down? You look pretty sneaky."

"Why would I think that?" Tim asked. "Come on, we should find somewhere to stay before the storm comes in."

The two of them spent the whole winter together. They froze, starved, and went days without sleep. But it didn't matter to them, because this was the safest they had felt in years. They even met a few nice people. Allison was a girl who was about fifteen and took pity on the two six year olds, checking up on them every once in a while. There was a kid named Josiah that brought them the clothes that he couldn't fit in any more. Even a small kid named Jason, only a few years older than them, taught them how to jack tires.

But it didn't last. Tim was a well known face. His dad posed for a few sob stories for the press. It only took until March for someone to finally grab him. He just wished he didn't have to bring Steph down with him. She shrieked as they shoved her into the cop car, but was unsuccessful in her escape attempts. Tim went quietly, guilt gnawing at him. If he hadn't offered for the two of them to stick together, Steph would still be free. She wouldn't have to go back.

Both their dads we're waiting for them when they got home. Tim was unable to sneak out for two and a half weeks, one of which he had been locked in a closet. He didn't hope to be able to run away again. He wasn't stupid, they would just find him again. But he wanted to say hi to Steph.

He finally found the address she had told him, back when he had gotten her to open up a bit more. He knocked on the third window up at the front, it was the correct address. He almost couldn't climb all the way up to the window. His left arm was throbbing in a way that made him nervous.

"Tim?" Steph looked about as terrible as Tim felt, which was saying something. Nonetheless, a bright smile rested on her face. It was wrong, she was hurt because Tim's dad was rich and he got both of them caught. It wasn't fair to her. "You came back!"

"Of course I came back." Tim grinned back at her. His cheek throbbed. "But I don't think I can run away again. At least not yet."

"Me too," Steph sighed. "Maybe later on. Right now, there's someone I want you to meet. It's okay if you come in, my dad's doing some weird thing tonight."

"Okay." Tim slid in behind her and walked into her living room. Crystal Brown was a mess, but to Tim she was beautiful. It didn't matter that she had bags under her eyes, or that she looked much too old for her age. It didn't even matter to Tim that she was holding alcohol (which was a big no in Tim's mind.) What Tim thought was beautiful was that when she looked at Steph her eyes were full of so much love, the kind of love that Tim had only seen from mothers that had come to pick up their kids from school. The other first graders would shy away from their mom's hugs, declare that they were big kids. Tim wished his mom were here to look at him like that.

Crystal loved Tim. She thought it was amazing that Steph had a friend, and she understood his situation better than anyone else could. Tim would come over every other night and knock on Steph's window and listen to her read Steph a story before going back home to his cold dark house and tucking himself in good night.

***

The first time Arthur Brown went to prison Steph cried. Her mom took one look at her and promised to drop the addictions. She did her best, but it was hard. Crystal Brown was strong, but not strong enough. To try to make it up to her, her mom scrounged up enough money to enroll Steph into gumnastics. Tim was so excited for her that he stole money from his dad so he could pay for a ticket to all her tournaments. It was Steph's favorite part of the day besides the time when Tim snuck into her room. She was in the third grade now, and her mom didn't read her bedtime stories anymore, but the two of them would stay up late into the night talking about everything from politics to the best cupcake in the bakery down the street.

"It was so cool Steph!" Tim exclaimed, pulling out his camera. "You should have been there!"

"I've had enough crime in my life thanks to my dad," Steph replied. "Did you get any good pictures?"

His face lit up as he brought out his camera with the latest picture of Batman and Robin. Steph frowned at the dark bruise still fading on his left eye. It didn't seem fair to her that her dad was in prison and that she was safe, but that Tim was still struggling.

Unfortunately, her dad was able to make an appeal and was out of prison within the year. He was angrier when he got out, more violent. But he was also more careful.

"You could try to turn him in you know," Tim told her as he stitched up a slash on her back that she couldn't reach. "You have your mom, you wouldn't go into the foster system."

"He would find out," She replied. "And then he would kill me and Mom."

"I don't like seeing you hurt."

"Pot, meet kettle." Tim smiled sheepishly. His recently wrapped ribs twinged in pain as he moved away.

"By the way, I found something out that you are never ever going to believe." Steph looked at him, a smile forming on her face. "You have to promise not to tell anyone, but I know who Batman is."

"What!" Steph shrieked. "Who?" She jumped up.

Tim had triple checked his findings, then triple checked them again. There was no way he was wrong. "Bruce Wayne."

"No. Way." Steph's voice was filled with awe. "How did you figure it out?"

"You know the circus that I went to when I was four?"

"Yeah." Steph sat down on her bed. "Scared you away from almost all forms of live entertainment."

"Robin did a quadruple soumersault. There's only one person his approximate height that lives in Gotham able to do it. Richard Grayson." Tim leaned against her wall. "It wasn't too big of a leap from there."

"Oh man." Steph frantically ran a hand through her hair. "Tim people would kill for that kind of information, you know that right?"

"Which is why we can't tell anyone. Not even your mom." Tim raised an eyebrow and Steph rolled her eyes.

"Duh. You probably shouldn't have even told me." She dropped down on her bed. "This is a huge weight of information."

"I know. It changes nothing and everything." Tim held his camera tightly to his chest. For the first time in a while he felt worried for Batman. If a nine year old kid with major dad issues could figure it out with just one mistake, who else has this information? "I think I may need to follow him a bit more closely now, just to make sure there isn't anyone on his trail."

"It's not your job to protect Batman." Steph told him. "He can take care of himself."

"Not if he doesn't even know that there's a threat he can't." Tim groaned. "When did everything become so complicated?"

"When you figured out Batman's secret identity." Steph grinned. "You're smart, you could do so much good if your dad wasn't holding you back."

Tim smiled warmly at the ceiling. "Pot, meet kettle."

***

The next two years that passed by seemed normal, Tim figured he could back off of Batman and Robin a bit, but then the fighting began. Tim was able to take pictures at only the worst moments. There was no dynamic in the duo anymore, just anger. And anger leads to bad decisions.

So when Jason got on a bus to the airport, Tim decided it was time to take action. His dad wouldn't notice anyway, he wouldn't be home for another two months and the purchase would be small. Besides, Tim had always wanted to go to Ethiopia and the emptiness at Drake Manor was constricting. Sometimes he wished his dad were home so he didn't feel invisible, drowning in silence.

He almost regretted it now. Watching Jason Todd get beaten to death with a crowbar was the last thing on Tim's to do list. He still had his camera wrapped around his neck. It would be a good distraction. Besides, he was fast, the least he could do was grab Jason and go.

It would suck to part with his camera, but right now Jason's life depended on it. So Tim threw the camera as hard as he could, jumping down with it. It hit the Joker in the face and Tim used his confusion to rip the crowbar from his hands and slam it into his head until he went down. It didn't take long.

Tim pulled the ropes off the mostly concious Jason (probably only because of his adrenaline) and used them to tie up the Joker. The warehouse was eerily silent, the only noise a faint ticking that didn't resonate well within Tim. A bomb. He didn't know how to disarm a bomb.

"Who are you?" Jason asked, his speech slightly slurred from his definitely concussion. "What're you doin'?"

"I have no idea!" Tim breathed. "Wow. That's not very comforting. Saving your life I guess? Can you walk?" He got a nod which didn't completely sate Tim's distrust of the way Jason's legs were looking, but Tim needed to carry the Joker and he didn't want to risk coming into the warehouse a second time.

They managed to make it out and down the street before the warehouse blew up. Jason was stumbling and drooping, his adrenaline finally leaving him. Tim could hear Bruce calling Jason's name and smiled slightly to himself. Giving up his camera was totally worth it.

By the time Batman found his unconscious (sleeping) Robin with a tied up Joker, Tim was nowhere to be seen.

***

"No way!" Steph laughed. "Why does all the cool stuff happen to you?"

"Cool?" Tim shrieked. "Try terrifying! I hit the Joker in the face with a crowbar!"

"Dude, admit it, it was awesome."

"I mean yeah I guess." Tim grinned, fidgeting with his hands. "I saved Robin's life."

"You most certainly did." Steph lightly socked his shoulder. "You make a nice superhero."

The front door to Steph's house slammed open, causing both preteens to jump. They could hear Arthur Brown's boots clomping through the house, coming towards Steph's room.

"Quick hide!" Steph whispered, shoving Tim into her closet. She sat back down on her bed right as her door slammed open. Tim was freaking out at the moment. He didn't think he could sit quietly in the closet if Arthur started hurting Steph. Thankfully, he just grunted, making sure she was home, and left, presumably to look for some alcohol. Tim slipped out of the closet and out the window, climbing down the fire escape almost mechanically. That had been close. Too close. They needed to pay better attention.

Tim's house was no longer empty when he got home. His dad was home early from his trip. Jack Drake did not take kindly to finding out his son was not in the house when he got back. Tim went to bed with a plethora of new bruises and a slash on his back deep enough to need stitches. He couldn't reach them on his own, and the last thing Steph needed right now was him to burst into her room and get her in trouble.

It took a while, but the bleeding eventually stopped. Feeling woozy, Tim laid down and contemplated how his life could have been different if his mom had been alive. Would he have grown up with two loving parents instead of an abusive father and a grave stone in a cemetery? Probably not, but he could dream.

***

Tim didn't know what he had expected, but if wasn't for Steph to burst into his room at four in the morning, beaten half to death and sobbing. Tim quickly brought back into the garden shed. His dad would never step foot in there and it was far enough away that they could talk.

"Breathe," Tim whispered, rubbing a hand along her back. She had had panic attacked before, but this was different. "What happened?"

"He-he just-" she cut herself off with another sob. Her clothes were drenched in the rain pouring from outside so Tim pulled out a few blankets he had stashed here a few months ago. "She was drunk, wasn't expecting him. He was so angry, kept yelling about- about her stealing from him." She shivered. "I tried to get between them but he threw me down. He wouldn't stop and his hands were wrapped around her throat and she wasn't waking up. Tim she wouldn't wake up."

"Steph breathe, okay?" Tim whispered softly to her. "Take a deep breath." Tim's heart was racing, and he too had to take deep breaths to calm down. If he had heard Steph right that meant that Crystal was-

No. He refused to believe it. She couldn't be dead. Crystal was a constant presence. She read Tim bedtime stories. She gave him hugs and ruffled his hair. She looked at him and Steph like they were her entire world. But the look in Steph's eyes confirmed Tim's greatest fear as another mother figure died and there was nothing he could do. He could only hold Steph as she continued to take shuddering breaths.

***

"We can't go to the police!" Steph snapped. 

"He killed your mom Steph!" Tim argued. "This is more than just child abuse now, he committed murder!"

"I won't go in the system Tim!" She was crying, her eyes rimmed with red. "It's worse than being at home! It's an over glorified child trafficking ring!"

"I know," He sighed. "I just don't want you to go back there with him."

"I don't want to go back there either." Steph's lower lip trembled.

"Then don't." She looked up at him sharply. "You can stay here, and be on the streets when my dad is home. I'll keep you well fed, and bring you extra school work. You'd make it years on the streets, a lot longer than the last time." The without me to drag you down went unsaid. But it hung in the air.

"Only if you'll come with me." Steph crossed her arms, a defiant look coming across her face.

"You have a twice as likely chance to make it than I do." Tim put a hand on her shoulder. She didn't flinch away. "My dad is higher up, he has a lot of money and way better resources. Besides, how else would you be able to stay in my house if I'm not even here." He couldn't be the reason she got caught again. She can't go back to her dad, not after this. The foster system isn't better than abusive parents, but it is better than being killed.

She leaned her head down on his shoulder. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah." She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Just be careful okay? You have a tendency to get hurt."

"Pot, meet kettle."

***

Batman stood on too of the roof, staring at the file Gordon had handed him.

"ClueMaster killed his wife," Gordon informed him. To an untrained observer, it was apathetic. Just another job. But Batman could see how shaken the Commissioner was. "It was ugly, her entire body beaten, but it was the strangling that killed her."

Crystal Brown, a casualty because Bruce hadn't been paying enough attention to Arthur Brown after he was pardoned. But there was one problem.

"You don't need my help finding Arthur." That wasn't why the Commissioner had come to him. ClueMaster wasn't enough of a threat to warrant the Batsignal, bot unless he'd been at large for longer than a few days.

"He's the top priority. But there's someone else. Stephanie Brown." He handed Bruce a smaller file. "His daughter. She's missing. We hope that she's still alive, but it's been longer than 24 hours. We need help. Hopefully she's in Arthur's custody and we'll find her when we find him. But it's just as likely that she's on the streets of Gotham on her own. Arthur Brown is the GCPD's top priority. I'm afraid by the time we catch him it'll be too late for her. Please look into her while we look into him."

The girl in the picture wasn't smiling. She had a bruise on her face. It looked like a school picture. He was going to find her, try to remedy the damage he had done to her and her mother through his carelessness. How could he have been so stupid? To let another child get hurt because he wasn't paying enough attention. Steph wouldn't end up like Jason. Bruce would save her, because he knew he wouldn't get lucky a second time.

When Gordon looked up again, Batman was gone.


	2. Revelations- sort of

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick hears that the Joker killed Robin, Spoiler makes an appearance, and Two-Face and Mr.Freeze get an uncredited cameo.

Dick Grayson's heart was racing almost as fast as the motorcycle he was riding. He didn't slow down until the manor was in sight. There had been a lot of rumors, but he had to know if it was true. If Jason had really been killed by that maniac. If Dick had lost his little brother before getting to know him, and why, because he couldn't get over his issues with Bruce to make sure the kid had someone he could turn to?

He knocked on the door and Alfred answered, of course. After ushering him in Dick looked around. The manor didn't seem too different, but then again, Dick hadn't seen Bruce yet. Alfred didn't appear too emotionally distressed, but the man often kept his emotions hidden for the sake of his charges.

Dick was about ready to break into the Batcave and hack the files when Jason hobbled into the living room from the hallway on a pair of crutches.

"Alfred can you help me reach Pride and Prejudice? It's on the top shelf and I can't get to it without hurting myself-oof!"

"Oh thank goodness!" Dick pulled Jason close to him holding him tightly against him. "You're okay. You aren't dead."

"I knew we were forgetting something," Bruce muttered, walking into the room. He looked terrible. He was disheveled, deep dark bags under his eyes. The exact way Dick would have expected him to look after one of them had been badly injured. His eyes were distracted, and Dick was too happy Jason was alive to be angry at Bruce for not mentioning it. That would come later.

"Dick. Ribs" Jason gasped. Dick apologized quickly, holding the teenager at arm's length.

"Did you know that literally everybody is talking about how the Joker killed Robin?" Jason stiffened underneath his hands and Bruce's face became overcome by a dark shadow. "Everyone. I thought you were dead."

"He almost did." Dick looked at the crutches holding up Jason's body, at the bruises still fading from his face. "Kill me, I mean."

"What happened?"

***

Steph snuck by Tim's house once again, seeing that the sign he had left signalling his dad was home had disappeared. She knocked on his door.

"Welcome back!" Tim grinned at her.

"Please tell me you have a working shower!" She groaned. "I feel like I haven't bathed in weeks!"

"That's because you haven't. We'll, it's actually only been a few days. But you reek!" He waved a hand in front of his nose  and she rolled her eyes, shoving her way past him and heading towards the bathroom. "I'll bring you some clothes and a towel."

"Thank you!" She called back over her shoulder.

She took a while in the shower, savoring the hot water. At the same time she was avoiding talking to Tim. She had no idea how to breach this subject. How to tell him what she wanted to do. Eventually, long after her fingers became more wrinkly than an old grandmother's, she finally shut off the water.

"So what's up?" He asked when she finally emerged.

"My dad is out and about still." She flopped down on the bed, goraning. "He's hurting people and I want to do something. I'm going to do something dumb. I want to do something dumb."

"Not if you have me to back you up." Tim sat down in his computer chair and spun around slowly. He ginned at her  "I bet I could make a comm or something so I can watch and help you out, and I should have no problem hacking into the cameras. It won't be perfect but it'll give you some peace of mind. We won't be Batman and Robin, but we won't need to be."

Steph blinked, staring at Tim with wide eyes. "You've thought about this." It wasn't a question.

"I don't want to follow Batman and Robin anymore," Tim admitted. "It's getting boring. I want to take the next step, which would be helping you stop your dad."

She was right, he had thought about this. In fact, he knew Steph was going to want to stop her dad, and he also knew that she would stand a better chance in the hero world if someone had her back. Tim could at least do that, even if he wasn't comfortable fighting. Violence wasn't really his thing. He was more of tech support.

It took two weeks, but they successfully set up a mini operation in the shed that Tim had fully outfitted as a room for Steph. He even managed to find a mattress and some extra sheets for when his dad was home.

Steph stood before him, a deep purple hood covering her face and goggles covering her eyes. A scarf was wrapped around the lower half of her face and she had fashioned a cape to go with it as well. The girl in front of him was no longer Stephanie Brown, but Spoiler.

"You look freaking awesome." Tim held out his hand for a fist bump and she obliged.

"Time to stop my dad." She put the comm in her ear and Tim sat in front of the computer he had pillaged from an office his dad never used. The Drake Manor was a hride of untold potential. Steph ran out of the shed, heading towards the town.

"Based on your previous investigations, your dad should be somewhere in the warehouse district."

"How very cliche of him." She snarked, making her way across the city. Steph grappled from one building to the next with her heart racing from the adrenaline of the motion. She smiled, feeling alive for the first time since her mom had died. "This is amazing! You're the best!"

She could hear Tim's smile over the comm as he replied "Pot, meet kettle."

***

"Okay Spoiler, if I'm seeing things right, you're going to want to go in through the East Entrance. There are less guards there, and I think you can take them out before they sound the alarm. I'll help you avoid the cameras."

She headed east (she hoped-Tim didn't correct her-she would need to learn directions) as Tim had instructed, finding heavy looking door being guarded by two men. She dropped down on the first man's shoulder, hitting the other one with a gas bomb Tim had supplied for her (she was worried about how much money he had stolen from his dad for this. What if he found out?). Both went down quickly. Steph had to supply a few extra punches for man one, but she succeeded in taking them both out before any alarm was sounded.

There were very few thugs patrolling the corridors. It was almost too easy for Steph to sneak towards the main room. Unfortunately, there was no way Steph could fight that many people successfully.

"The bank seems to be our best option." Arthur Brown frowned at the paper. "It's the quickest and esiest way to get some quick cash. You sure that the Bat won't be showing up?"

"We sent a clue to the police for the one on Fifth and Charlseton. Meanwhile, we'll be on Partchly and Einstein."

"Are you sure he won't see through that?" Arthur snapped.

"He's too busy looking for the girl." 

"True," ClueMaster mused. "That has worked towards our advantage."

Steph frowned. Partchly and Einstein. That's where they were going. Both the police and Batman would be in the wrong place. But at what time? She stepped closer, trying to get a better look at what was going on. The floor creaked beneath her feet, and everyone in the room looked up at her.

"Crap." She booked it, going out the way she had come. People were gaining on her, so she sped up. She was father than these people. If she could just get outside she knew Tim could get her somewhere safe. She sped past the unconscious guards, running in a big bag motion in case people started shooting. "I have hostiles on my tail, where should I head?"

"If you can go deeper into the district than you may be able to lose them by hiding out in one of the unused places."

"Got it." Slipping into an empty looking warehouse right as she turned a corner, she grappled into the rafters. She didn't know how long she stayed up there, heart pounding, trying to keep her breathing steady the same way she did whenever her dad came home drunk, but it was long enough that right as she was about to come down, she heard a few voices from outside.

Then Two-Face walked into the warehouse.

"Tim do you see this?" She whispered as loudly as she dared. 

"I have no eyes on this situation." He replied. "What happened?"

"Two-Face just walked in."

"What?" Tim coughed, seemingly choking on the coffee he was most likely drinking. "Hang tight. I'll see what I can do."

Steph did. And as she was 'Hanging tight', another party entered the room.

"Mr.Freeze," Two-Face greeted.

"Two-Face." Freeze nodded at him.

And below Steph, the two villains outlined their entire plans. They went over the place and time of when they were going to strike. It was perfect.

"Tim, I know their entire plan!" She hissed into the earpiece. "We have to tell Batman!"

"I have the blueprints for the building, but they're really old." Tim sighed over the earpiece, muttering curses about Gotham's irritating filing system. "If they're correct then there should be a skylight somewhere to your left."

Steph crept alone the rafters until she was right underneath the skylight. "How do I open it?"

"I don't know. Is there a latch or something?"

There wasn't. However, there were shouts from below her and she needed to act quickly. Time to trust he best friend, the brick. 

It shattered the skylight easy and Steph slipped out of the building. She cut her arm on the glass but she didn't have time to panic about that.

She ran, sticking to the streets she knew well. Gunshots sounded behind her. She didn't stop running until she made it back to the town in Gotham. She didn't have a change of clothes on her, but she stuck to the shadows, remaining almost entirely unnoticed until she made it back to Tim's shed.

***

"How are we going to get this information to Batman?" Steph asked as Tim stitched up her arm. 

"We could just stick it in his mailbox." Tim shrugged. "I have two notes already written. They aren't really clever, but they get the points across."

"We don't need to be clever as long as they show up to the right places." Tim finished up on her arm and tied off the stitch. "Thanks."

"No problem." Tim grinned at her. "I've got lost of practice."

Steph groaned. "Unfortunately, you'll probably get more."

"Be careful, okay?" Tim put the stitches away, frowning at her. "I don't like it when you get hurt."

"Pot, meet kettle."

"That time it didn't even make sense."

"You don't make sense." Steph laughed. It had been a good night. (Scary, but good.)

***

Bruce stared at the camera in front of him, trying to finally make his decision. It could have evidence on it that could help them find the owner. On the other hand, it could have nothing and be a waste of their time. Besides, did Bruce really need to know? What if knowing destroyed him. But on the other hand, the owner of the camera probably saved his son's life. So maybe he had to know.

Who was he kidding, of course he did.

"Master Bruce, I believe that you are going to want to take a look at what we received in the mail today." Alfred's voice cut through his haze.

"The mail?" Bruce asked. He handed him two small pieces of paper with the same handwriting. Both of which outlined things Bruce needed to take care of, if proven true. "Who sent them?"

"There is no return address."

"No stamp either," Bruce mused. He turned to the computer and pulled up the security camera by the mailbox, backing it up a few hours. Right there on the footage, a young girl in a purple costume dropped down and stuck the two pieces of paper in the mailbox. He looked at the notes once again. What if they were fakes to distract him from the ClueMaster heist tonight? But at the same time, what if they weren't? "Is Dick still here?"

"He's in the library with Master Jason," Alfred informed him. "While you talk to him, would you like me to develop the pictures?"

Bruce's heart clenched slightly. "Yes please. Thank you Alfred."

Jason and Dick were both in the library, as Alfred had said. Bruce almost hadn't wanted to infringe on their time together, he had never seen them get along like this before. However, Bruce still cleared his throat as he entered the room, garnering both of his son's attention.

"We received a few anonymous tips in the mail." Bruce handed Dick the notes, who handed them to Jason.

"Are they from ClueMaster?" Jason asked.

"No, the GCPD got a clue from him last night, one that contradicts both these clues." Dick frowned at them. "Did Gordon say who gave them to him?"

"These weren't given to the GCPD, they were put in our mailbox." Both his boys frowned. "Which means that there's something more going on."

"I think we should check out the clues," Jason decided. "If ClueMaster left something with the GCPD then they'll be ready for him. We should follow these ones."

"Exactly. Dick, you go to Parchly and Einstein, I'll take the docks."

"What about me?" Jason asked, frowning at Bruce.

"Your leg is broken."

"So?"

Bruce sighed. "You can help Oracle."

***

"You just left them in the mailbox?" Tim ran a hand through his hair in exhasperation.

"What else was I supposed to do? Knock on his door and tell all about how I snuck out and night and became a vigilante to stop my dad-"

"Okay okay I get it," He sighed. "But now they probably suspect that we know their identities."

"It's not that bad, they have no idea who we are," She promised. "Honestly they probably won't even worry about that until tomorrow."

"They'll definitely be busy tonight." Tim sighed. "You're going out too?"

"Yeah. I want to make sure my dad gets put away." She sat on Tim's wheelie chair, spinning around aimlessly. "It'll make me feel better."

"Will it?" Tim asked softly. "Steph, I know this means a lot to you, but turning your dad in won't solve all your problems." She didn't reply. "Just, don't get hurt, okay? You're all I have left."

"Pot, meet kettle." Steph smiled at him sadly. Tim didn't have the heart to tell her it didn't make sense, he understood her meaning. Her eyes had always looked sad since her mom had died, Tim noticed. She never took the time to grieve, immediately throwing herself into the streets, searching for her father. He was afraid of what would happen when she no longer had the search to distract herself. If Tim lost her he didn't know what he'd do. "We'll just have to look out for each other won't we?"

"Yeah." He returned her smile. "Yeah, we will."

***

Batman sat atop an old warehouse overlooking the docks. It was 10:22, the exact time specified on the note. 22:22 in military time. So imagine Bruce's surprise when Mr.Freeze is the first to arrive on the scene, followed quickly by Two-Face.

"I still think we should have rescheduled," Mr.Freeze grumbled.

"We can't, it's the perfect time," Two-Face growled back. "Now shut up and get working!"

Mr.Freeze was clearly unhappy with Two-Face's orders, but hefted his freeze gun nonetheless. He aimed it at the water, and Batman could see their plan and the way it was going to play out. There was a boat coming into the harbor with a few priceless artifacts. Bruce had been planning to stake it out anyways, but became distracted in his hunt for both Arthur and Stephanie Brown.

A few other boats were docking as well, some that could be robbed just as easily. The vessel with the artifacts wasn't supposed to fully dock for another three hours, but it was nearby, waiting for it's turn after the other boats left. The armoured security vehicles weren't there yet, most plausibly stuck in traffic (or they've already been taken out). All Freeze would have to do is ice the harbor over and he and Two-Face could walk on to the boat and steal whatever they wanted.

Unfortunately for them, Batman was here. They weren't expecting him, thinking he would be too busy with ClueMaster to investigate without a solid lead. But he had a solid lead. Well, an anonymous tip from a stranger that he realizes is probably more dangerous than these two because they know his identity.

Bruce grappled to the docks, landing on top of Freeze.

***

Nightwing watched the bank from the building next to it, scouting for any suspicious activity. So far, he had found nothing. "Hey B, any luck on your end?"

"Bit-" Something slammed into something else on the other end of the comm. He heard a crack. "-busy."

"I'll take that as a yes. Need backup?"

"No. Stay where you are," He grunted, then remained silent. Dick wasn't worried, Bruce hadn't sounded entirely overwhelmed, and someone had to stay here.

"Robin, how's the detective work in the cave been going?" Dick asked.

"Surveillance of our mailbox depicts a girl in a purple costume dropping off the two notes, but we already knew that. However, judging by her height and build, she could very well be Stephanie Brown. She may be warning us about he dad's plans."

"After tonight she becomes our top priority. If she's involved with her dad we may still be able to convince her to give him up and go clean. She's a victim, but she may be a dangerous one." Dick told him. He hoped that Stephanie wasn't working with her father. For one thing, she had dropped the notes off at the Wayne mailboxes, not the GCPD. She wouldn't do that unless she knew their identities. And if she was working with her dad... "Anything else?"

"Yeah, Alfred developed the pictures on the camera. They're..." He trailed off. "Interesting."

Dick was about to inquire further, when a large disturbance below drew out his thoughts. "Hold on, I'll get back to you Robin. I've got hostiles." When a familiar face stepped out of the vehicle, he grimaced. "One of them is ClueMaster."

"I'm almost finished up here," Bruce told him, his voice slightly more gravelly than usual. "Then I'm on my way."

"No sign of Stephanie, but it's still early." Dick stealthily jumped onto the roof of the bank, bringing himself closer. ClueMaster wasn't exactly going for subtlety. He was forcing a power move, pushing everything to get it done fast. And he was smart, giving the clue to the GCPD to go somewhere else. It was unlikely that he was the one behind the clues leading them here.

"Don't engage until you know for sure. She's a victim just as much as anyone else." Jason reminded him. "Oracle is pulling up the cameras to help you out N."

Before Babs could inform him of anything new, a body landed next to him. "Why aren't you doing anything?" A figure class in purple hissed. The girl in front of him was in pretty expensive gear for a fifteen year old doing this on her own, maybe ClueMaster was supplying things for her? But then why would she ruin his heist?

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you're just standing there staring at a wall as if it's going to come to life and stop ClueMaster for you!" She snapped. "Those people down there need help, and you're the one best equipped to help them!"

"Then why are you here?" He asked, finally sure which side Stephanie Brown was on.

"To make sure you get the job done!" She snapped. "Now go!"

"Do you want to help?" She paused, her dark goggles staring at him as if he had offered her the world.

"You'll let me help you?" Her voice was suspicious, and he couldn't blame her. It would have been odd if she did trust him immediately.

"Isn't that what you're here for?" He asked.

"Right. Yeah." She wiggled as if shaking off her nerves and stood up. "Let's do this."

The two of them jumped down, making quick work of ClueMaster's thugs. Stephanie actually did a really good job, despite having no training. She could be really great. But she was also angry and reckless, lashing out with no real plans. She took more hits than she needed to, and was clumsy. Dick knew what that was like, and so did Bruce and Jason. They had all been in her shoes at one point. Here she was, facing the man who had murdered her mother, and she was still managing to keep her cool. The fight was short, with little words exchanged. ClueMaster clearly didn't recognize his daughter (which Dick was frankly disappointed in him for- wasn't he supposed to be smart), but he was surprised that they had caught him. It was rather anticlimactic.

While Stephanie was clearly lashing out at her father, it was actually Dick that took him down. The man, while admittedly smart, wasn't the best fighter, and his thugs weren't the greatest. He had been hopeing for the element of surprise on this mission.

When Dick looked up from tying up Arthur Brown, Stephanie was gone.

***

"You just fought along side Dick Grayson!" Tim shrieked in her ear.

"Yeah, I know. I was there." Steph grinned, leaning against the wall to catch her breath. She had done it. Her dad had been caught. And based on the absence of the Dark Knight, Two-Face and Mr.Freeze were being taken care of as well. In fact, those two were probably already in prison, and Batman was almost certainly already prowling the streets once again. 

"Are you heading back then?" Tim asked. "Or do you want to keep patrolling the streets?"

She looked down at the gash in her arm, reopened during the fight. Her hands still shook with fear. He had been so angry that he had been foiled, and having that anger directed at her still terrified her. Even though he didn't know who was behind the mask, she felt like she couldn't breathe. "I think I'm going to head back. I need stitches."

"I'll grab the first aid kit." He didn't sound surprised. Steph didn't blame him, it was almost natural for one of them to become injured given their family history.

Steph pushed herself off the wall, turning and jogging out of the alley. She turned a corner...

...and ran straight into Batman.

"Stephanie Brown," He growled. "We need to talk."


	3. Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steph meets Batman and Robin, as well as an angry victim of ClueMaster's. Bruce tries his best. Tim gets his camera back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just sort of write this today. Didn't edit it or check it so I'm apologizing in advance for any grammatical errors. I was not expecting this dtroy to be as well received as it has been, so that was nice. Ummm. Enjoy?

Bruce wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the girl in purple. On the one hand, Stephanie Brown rose up from the worst of situations to become a hero in a world that wouldn't blame her for becoming a villain. Raised by a villain, it wouldn't have been hard for her to make bad decisions like her father. But she upset all the odds by doing the exact opposite, by creating her own destiny.

When he watched the security footage of the girl in purple dropping down in front of his mailbox, he hoped to everything it wasn't Stephanie Brown. If she knew his identity then so did ClueMaster. He went to the site of Two Face and Mr.Freeze, knowing if it were anyone besides her they would be there instead. Deep down, he should have known his worst fears had been proven true. Spoiler may be a hero, but she was new. Bruce had seen too many good people be ruined by Gotham. He fought one of them tonight.

You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

He dropped down beside her after he dealt with Two Face and Mr.Freeze, watching her talk to her friend on her comm. She turned around, not noticing him until she ran right into his chest.

"Stephanie Brown." He growled. "We need to talk."

"Rude!" She snapped. "You don't see me running around spilling your secrets do you? It's Spoiler!"

"And what secrets are those?" He asked, looming over her.

"Quit being so dramatic! I'm on your side here!" She crossed her arms.

"You're a child that shouldn't be fighting criminals." He replied.

"How old was Dick Grayson when he started?" Stephanie shot back.

Bruce stiffened. He knew that she knew, but having his deepest secret being thrown in his face was...unsettling to say the least. He grabbed her arm, voice practically becoming animalistic. "How did you-"

A loud crack rang out in the alley they stood in. Had she just slapped him?

"Chill." She pulled her arm from his slackened grip. "I'm not about to run around the world telling everyone your secrets. You keep my secrets, I'll keep yours."

"Bruce?" Jason's voice rang up on his comm. "The pictures on the camera, the one from Ethiopia. There's a picture of Stephanie Brown in the mix. As well as a lot of pictures of us as Batman and Robin. But the picture, it wasn't taken because she was a vigilante. She's in the same room, smiling at the photographer."

"Hello?" Stephanie waved a hand in front of his face. "Are you even paying attention?"

"Of course I'm paying attention!" He snapped.

"Good!" She replied. "Because I have some issues we need to address. First of all, I can be on the streets if I want to, you can't tell me what to do. You're not my dad. Even my dad couldn't tell me what to do. Second, don't touch me. I don't like being touched. Third, I have secrets and you have secrets. Unless you fell like holding a slumber party so we can share everything while we braid each other's hair, it can stay that way. Got it?"

"I think I'm in love." Jason sighed over the line. "Slapping you and telling you off? Do you think I could get her number?"

"Enough!" Bruce said, applying to both people. He needed time to think. What was the best way to keep Stephanie safe? He could turn her into the police. But she could easily jeopardize his identity. Besides, she seemed to be doing fine on the streets, she'd just run away and continue her escapades. He could leave her be. But that would be like throwing her to the wolves. She would never make it on her own. And her death would be on Bruce. He could train her, but he wouldn't be able to keep a constant watch on her. There was no right answer. "You're right. I can't force you to do anything. But I don't like the thought of you doing this alone."

"I'm not alone." Stephanie stuck her nose up defiantly. "I have people watching my back."

"People that can get you out of a tough situation if you're in over your head and can't get out on your own? Someone that can be there to carry you out if you're unconscious?" Bruce almost reached a hand out to place on her shoulder, but restrained himself. She didn't like to be touched. "If you're going to keep doing this I need to know that you're safe."

"Are you safe?" She countered. "Are Robin and Nightwing safe?" 

Bruce thought back to Ethiopia, the panic he'd felt digging through the rubble for the slightest chance Jason would be okay. The relief at finding him unconscious outside, but beaten black and blue. "No. But we have training that keeps us safer than most."

"Then train me." She crossed her arms and Bruce restrained the urge the grab her shoulders and try to shake some sense into her.

"Don't you understand?" He snapped. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

"I've been hurt much worse in a place that I should feel safe than I did tonight! This cut on my arm is nothing compared to the injuries my dad has given me over the course of my life!" She glared at him, and even through the mask Bruce could see the fire in her eyes. "My dad killed my mother, so don't even try to tell me about throwing myself in danger! I've been in danger every day of my life and I want to help people feel as safe as I've felt ever since I left!"

Bruce took a deep breath to calm himself down. It wouldn't help either of them to get into a screaming match. They needed to keep their emotions under control. "I'm trying to protect you."

He could see her shoulders droop slightly, her anger fading slightly. "Well stop. There are other people that need your protection more. No need to waste your time with me."

Bruce was ready to argue, to fight back when Jason tapped in. "She isn't going to give up B. Give her somewhere to stay where you can keep an eye on her, the way you did for me." He paused. "Not, like with Ma Gunn's, but with you, here now. Bring her back to the cave tonight, we can talk to her a little bit, maybe ask her to tell her friend thanks for saving my life."

"You may be too close to this situation." Bruce mumbled into the comm.

"What?" Stephanie asked, but Bruce held up a hand.

"In case you didn't notice B, you're a little too close to this situation." Jason's voice was calm, as opposed to the aggressive tones Stephanie and Bruce had adopted. "Give her a chance."

Jason...made a good point. He was too close to the situation. "Fine."

"Excuse me?" Stephanie waved a hand in front of his face again. "I'm not done yelling at you!"

"Yes you are!" He growled. "Come on." He didn't grab her arm, or drag her with him, just stalked off towards the Batmobile, hoping she followed. 

***

"You're going to the Batcave!" Tim's voice was awed. "You're about to meet Robin. Do you think I could get his autograph?"

"Chill!" She whispered, resisting the urge to tug at the blindfold over her eyes. Couldn't they at least get a confirmable blindfold? Isn't he rich? "You've been nearly silent for the last ten minutes and now all of a sudden you can't shut up?"

"I was making dinner." Tim answered. "I figured you had him handled."

"I had it handled?" She snarled. "Look at me! I'm being dragged to the Batcave for execution! I did not have it handled!"

"I'm not going to execute you," Batman said at the same time Tim mumbled around a mouth full of food, "You did fine."

"Whatever." She slumped in her seat, then straightened as she realized how much of a kid it made her look. Maybe if she acted like an adult Batman would treat her more like an adult. "What are you even eating anyways. Be aware that coffee doesn't count as food."

"I found an old box of Kraft Mac and Cheese in the pantry." Tim replied. At her suspicious silence he added, "And I'm enjoying it with a cup of coffee."

"There he is." Steph grinned. "You have a problem."

"Excuse you. My relationship with coffee is none of your concern."

"It's almost four in the morning you shouldn't be drinking coffee. You shouldn't even be awake right now."

"Pot, meet kettle." Tim snarked.

"I have a reason to not be sleeping. I'm in the Batmobile."

"And I'm living vicariously through you." 

Steph rolled her eyes. "How long does this ride take anyways?" She asked Batman.

"We're most there." How on Earth was his voice this gravelly?

"How have you not lost your voice? Are you wearing a voice modulator or something?" She asked. He didn't answer. "I'll take that as a yes. Are you even in the vehicle right now? What's the point of this blindfold anyways if I already know your identities."

"Please stop talking." His voice was strained.

"Okay. Rude." She crossed her arms and leaned back. She kept silent for the rest of the ride, listening intently. Did they just drive under a waterfall? Eventually, the car stopped and her door was open. The blindfold was wrenched fr her face and she blinked away the blinding lights. "This is the most well lit cave I've ever been in."

"We can't have all aspects of Batman's life being dark and gloomy can we?" A cheerful voice at a large computer (the batcomputer?) piped up.

"Robin." Batman greeted, walking towards the medical table. He pulled out a needle and medical thread and gestured for Steph to come over.

"Whoa." She held up her hands. "Not sure if we're there yet. I don't need you sticking any needles in my body, m'kay?"

"That cut looks bad." Batman answered, running a hand over his face with a look Steph recognized. She gets that look a lot, the Lord give me strength look.

"It's on my left arm. I can stitch it up myself." She made grabby hands at the supplies and he handed than over.

"Do you want anesthetic?"

"Is that an option?" She asked. He held up a needle filled with a random substance. "No thanks. Don't need you giving me any strange substances. I'll live." 

"Steph, I'm pretty sure you can trust Batman." Tim mumbled around a mouth full of Mac and Cheese.

"Trust no one."

"What about me?" He asked.

"Fine. Trust, like, one person." She threaded the needle, redoing the stitches she had pulled. "You know what I mean!"

"Who ya talkin' to?" Robin asked. She looked at him, surprised. He was in civilian clothes (sweat pants and a T-shirt) with a domino mask covering his face.

"My, uh, sidekick." She grinned, thought they couldn't exactly see it underneath the scarf.

"Hey!" Tim whined. "If anything you're my sidekick."

"You're sitting at home and I'm out in the costume." She deadpanned.

"I'd take brains over brawn any day." He told her. "Much more useful. And less likely to be injured." She scoffed, but didn't reply.

"Does your, uh, sidekick like photography?" Robin asked, bouncing slightly.

"Loves it, actually. His favorite hobby." Steph raised an eyebrow. "How did you know that?"

"Did he happen to be hanging out in Ethiopia a little more than a month ago?"

Right. After everything with her parents, Steph had almost forgotten that Tim had saved Robin's life. She looked closer, catching the cast the was wrapped around Robin's leg and the way he held himself that screamed broken ribs. "Oh yeah. He threw his camera at the Joker. Do you have it or something?"

"They have my camera?" Tim asked, excitement lacing his voice. "Can I have it back?"

"It's a little worse for wear," Robin told her. "We were able to develop the film thought, so it may be salvageable."

"He'd like it back if it's possible." Robin nodded and smiled slyly.

"Of course. If he ever wants to pick it up he knows where to stop by." And with that, Robin hobbled away, presumably to go to bed since it was so late (early).

Steph finished up her stitches in silence, Batman typing at the computer. When she finally finished, she stood up, wandering around the Batcave. "Is that a giant penny?"

"Yes."

"Nice. Is it still only worth one cent?" She grinned.

"You can't exactly use it in a transaction." He deadpanned.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Why am I here? Any specific reason?"

"I want to keep an eye on you. Make sure you're safe." Batman rose from the chair, stalking over to her. "You shouldn't be on the streets without training."

"So you're going to train me?" She asked. "Why?"

"You aren't going to give up. You're too stubborn."

"Pot, meet kettle." She mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing." She pulled her goggles off. By this point they served no purpose. "Am I starting tonight?"

"No. You need some rest. You can stay in one of our guest rooms." He pulled off his cowl. And wow, it was one thing to know they're the same person, and it's entirely different to see Bruce Wayne's face on Batman's body.

"I have a place to stay." She replied. She didn't need his charity. She was doing fine on her own.

"Humor me." He smirked at her. "I'm trusting you not to try anything while you're in my home, and you're trusting me not to try to attack you while you're vulnerable."

"Fine." She relented. "I'll stay here."

"You're going to be trained by the Batman." Tim whispered reverently.

"Shouldn't you be asleep? It's a school night!" She crossed her arms.

"I figured I might as well pull an all nighter. Object in motion stays in motion and all that." Tim sounded tired, despite the multiple coffees he's ingested.

"That doesn't apply to sleep patterns, Tim." She deadpanned.

"No names in the field Steph!" He hissed.

"You literally just said my name!"

"I'm not in the field am I?" He sounded smug. "Besides, if I need sleep so do you. You'll probably have to be up nice and early to deal with training or whatever Batman has planned for you."

"Whatever. Go to sleep." She rolled her eyes, turning to a smug looking Bruce Wayne.

"Tim, huh?" He asked and she threw her arms into the air.

"I'm going to bed!" She announced, storming in a random direction.

"The manor is the other way." Bruce called.

"Right." She muttered, turning around and heading towards what looked like an elevator.

***

Bruce stayed up late, researching his options for Stephanie Brown. He could adopt her, in fact he wanted to. He could see himself in her in so many ways. But he couldn't do that to her. She needed someone stable in her life, someone that didn't sneak out at night and fight crime as a secret vigilante, because that would be too similar to what she had endured with her father.

The foster system was a good option. The Wayne foundation had been fixing it up for a while now, and he could keep an eye on her. He would be able to check in pretty often. This was what she needed. Something not necessarily stable, but somewhere she would be safe.

"The foster system?" She snapped when he brought it up to her, two days after she had arrived at the manor. "No way! Don't you know it's an over glorified sex trafficking ring?"

Bruce blinked at her. Where had she heard that? The foster system used to be bad but now it was much better. Where would she get the idea that the foster system was such a horrible place? "Where did you hear that?"

She frowned at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean? I heard it from...my dad." Her eyes widened at the realization. "Oh."

"I promise you, I won't let anything happen to you." Bruce refrained from putting a hand on her shoulder. She doesn't like to be touched he reminded himself. "I'll check in on you to make sure you're safe." 

Stephanie wrapped her arms around herself, curling into the couch. "You'll still train me?"

"I will, but only if you still want to go out." He tried to smile warmly at her, hoping it was successful. He was never the best at comfort. "Take a few weeks off to get adjusted first."

"Okay." She nodded. "Yeah. I can do that."

"Good." Bruce relaxed. She would be well taken care of, he'd make sure of it.

***

"The foster system," Steph seethed into the earpiece. She was surprised Bruce hadn't taken it away from her. "What's he thinking? And he thinks he's trying to keep me safe?"

"Maybe you should trust him Steph." Tim answered. "He knows what he's doing. He'll make sure you're okay. He's Batman, you can trust him."

"I will never understand you're hero worship for these guys!" Steph groaned. "I can't trust him just because he's Batman Tim. We can't trust the police in this town, why should Batman be any different?"

"Because Batman is different than the police." Tim's voice was soft, how was he always so rational? He never raised his voice at her no matter how stupid she was being. "He's trustworthy. Take it from the guy that followed him for five years."

"Fine." Steph relented. "I don't trust him, but I trust you. I'll give it a chance."

***

She was put in a group home. It made sense, no one would be interested in adopting her right now after all, if ever. She was too old for it. The home was slightly overcrowded, but she could handle it. It almost made her feel more comfortable. It was less likely someone would attack her if there were so many people around.

After a week, she started to relax. It wasn't so bad. A couple more weeks and she'd start training with Batman again. Until then, she practised sneaking out every night by going to see Tim.

"It's weird." She whispered, laying on his bed. "It's nothing like I expected."

"What did you expect?" Tim asked. "What your dad told you? That would have been a worst case scenario."

"I don't know, I guess I'm a pessimist." He snorted.

"On the bright side, you're rarely disappointed."

"How optimistic of you." She said dryly.

"I'm just saying, not everyone is out to get you the same way your dad was." Tim spun in his wheelie chair. "Have a little faith in humanity."

Steph decided to give up on her faith in humanity when someone broke into the group home with the intention of murdering her.

"ClueMaster is the reason my husband is dead!" The woman shrieked. "He was everything to me!"

"Okay but I didn't do anything!" Steph tried to assuage her, her hands out in a confirming gesture.

"Neither did Patrick!" The woman roared. Patrick must have been her husband. "He killed my family so I'll kill his!" She pointed the gun at her and Steph saw only one way out of the situation.

She threw herself out the window. It was two stories up, and she tried to land correctly, but she had thrown herself out headfirst. Her left arm took the brunt of the fall, and she heard it snap horrifically beneath her.

"Oh man," She groaned, rolling over. The woman was at the window, but Steph couldn't hear anything she was saying over the ringing in her own ears. She pushed herself up. She had to get away, or she was as good as dead.

She wasn't sure how she did it, but she stumbled away, kept upright entirely by adrenaline. She let her memory take over, bringing her to a place she had memorized the way to. Tim was waiting for her in the garden shed.

"I saw the news," He said softly. "I figured you'd be on your way here."

"My arm," She gasped. "It's really bad."

"I noticed." Tim deadpanned. "I can see the bone. On the bright side, you can actually go to a hospital for this for once."

"No!" Steph suddenly had a moment of clarity in her struggle for consciousness. Had she hit her head? She didn't remember. "It's dangerous there! What if someone there wants to kill me?"

"Then you need to go to the manor." Tim's voice was calm and soothing. How was he always so calm? "They can help you there, and none of them are trying to hurt you."

"I can't make it on my own." Steph mumbled.

"We'll it's a good thing I'm here then, isn't it." He wrapped her good arm around his shoulders, helping her stay upright bow that the adrenaline was failing.

Steph didn't know how long it took them hobbling in the right direction before they stood in front of the manor doors.

Alfred wrenched the door open, looking slightly frazzled.

"Hi." Tim smiled at him and Steph tried not to scoff. "Um, can we come in? Also, does Jason still have my camera? I've been meaning to stop by and grab it but there hasn't been time and I know this isn't the best time and Steph needs help so do you think-"

That was the last Steph heard before she passed out.

***

Alfred had insisted that Tim stay at the manor while he drove Steph to the hospital. Of course, he couldn't just sit here unsupervised (when he told Alfred that he stayed home unsupervised all the time the man wrinkled his nose and instructed him to wait while he got someone to watch him.). So Dick Grayson sat across from his with Jason Todd to his right, both of them staring at Tim as he sipped his tea.

"So..." Tim trailed off awkwardly. "Can I have my camera back? Sure, I could buy a new one but it has emotional value to it and-"

"Sure!" Robin Jason Todd jumped up from his seat and ran out of the room.

"How did you meet Stephanie?" Dick asked after Jason had left. Tim frowned at his curious glance.

"Just, right place right time I guess." Tim shuffled uncomfortably. He wasn't used to having anyone's undivided attention before, unless you counted Steph (who was pretty much the only outlier in Tim's life).

"How long have you two been together?"

Tim choked on his tea, his throat burning almost as much as his face. "We aren't, she and I, it's not-"

"Okay okay." Dick Grayson held up his hands in surrender. "Got it. You aren't together. How long have you been friends?"

"Since we were six." What was this, twenty questions?

"So you're probably her best friend?" Dick asked, the smile on his face never wavering. It wasn't unsettling, the way most smiles were to Tim. It wasn't fake either.

"Yeah."

"Can I ask you some questions about her?"

Tim shrugged. "Depends on the questions."

"What was he dad like to her?" Dick asked.

"Steph doesn't like to talk about her dad." Tim stared at Dick intensely. "Steph was always happier whenever he was in prison."

"Did he ever hit her?" And there it was, the question Dick had been waiting to ask. He seemed less tense now that he'd gotten it out. It had been bothering him.

"I'd say you already know the answer and you're just looking for confirmation." Tim leaned forward, setting his empty tea cup on the counter. "Tell me Dick, does her dad hit her?"

"How bad was it?" He asked.

"That's not for me to say. You can ask Steph that question." Tim leaned back, bringing his knees up to his chest. His bare feet rested on the couch. He hadn't grabbed shoes, rushing too much to get Steph help.

"What about you?" Dick asked, leaning forward. His smile had dropped when the conversation had turned to Steph's dad. It never came back. He was staring at Tim intently.

"What about me?"

"What's your family like?" Dick asked. Tim stared at him for a moment, contemplating his answer. No one had really asked him this before (no one ever really asked him anything). He could tell him about the family he had in his head. The way he thought his life would have been like if his mom were alive. Where he had a happy family in which they celebrated his birthday just the three of them, maybe another sibling as well. But then his life would be different. He would have never met Steph in that alley way seven years ago.

"Steph is my family." He finally answered after almost two full minutes of deliberation. Dick didn't push, which Tim was grateful for.

"It looks like you finished your tea." He stood up holding his hand out to Tim. "Can you stay here for the night or will your parents freaking out if you aren't home."

"My dad is in Mali." Tim answered, letting Dick haul him off the couch.

"What about your housekeeper?"

"Ms.Mac only comes on Sunday mornings to clean the house." Tim didn't notice the way Dick's hand tightened around his own as he led him to a guest room. "Will you wake me up if anything happens with Steph?"

"Of course." Dick smiled at him, and right before they opened the door Jason walked down the hallway holding Tim's camera. He handed it to Tim who immediately began inspecting it. Just holding it was a source of comfort, something familiar in an unfamiliar place.

Tim curled up as tight as he could on the bed after being left alone. His thoughts wandered to Steph, wondering if she would be okay. He wondered if Batman was watching over her.

It took a while for his brain to rest, but eventually he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea when the next part is going to come up. It's probably going to be the longest part so beware. I'm thinking about adding a part a one shot where Bruce interrogated ClueMaster until he realizes that he doesn't know his identity like he had assumed. Idk, just a thought. This is a really long chapter. Not sure how I feel about it. I think I rewrote it like seven (two) times. I sort of like how it turned out so I figured I'd throw it to the wolves. I didn't realize it would be this long. whoops.


	4. Pot, Meet Kettle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce doesn't know that he wants more kids. Tim's dad comes home from Mali, and Steph is more stubborn that everyone else combined. Things have to get worse before they get better.

Steph specifically remembers saying she didn't want Tim to bring her to a hospital. However, when she woke up and saw Bruce Wayne sitting next to her bed she relaxed slightly. She remembered some things. They had gone to the manor, they must have brought her here.

"What are you doing here?" She groaned. The lights in the room were too bright and he head hurt. She probably had a nasty concussion. Her left arm was in a cast past her elbow.

"You were attacked." He said bluntly. "I wanted to make sure you were safe."

"Yeah well isn't this fantastic!" She deadpanned, closing her eyes. Her head hurt too much to deal with this. "Any way we can turn the lights off, they're hurting my head." She heard shuffling and opened her eyes to find the brightness in the room to a much more manageable level. "Thanks."

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly, and she resisted the urge to pinch herself. It was still so weird to see Batman showing emotion, whether he was wearing the mask or not.

"I'm fine." She leaned her head back against the hospital bed. "How bad is the concussion?"

"Not bad considering you threw yourself out of a two story window." And wow did he sound unhappy.

"What else was I supposed to do?" She snapped. "Let the lady shoot me?"

"No." And his voice was soft, like Tim's. It made Steph feel a little better, a little bit calmer. But it also reminded her about Tim. "You shouldn't have been put in that situation. I'm sorry."

"For what?" Steph smiled bitterly. "For my dad being a jerk? For people taking their anger at their dad out on me? You didn't do anything and I don't need your pity."

"I'm sorry I wasn't checking up on you as much as much as I should have been." Bruce answered. "I'm sorry that I was so wrapped up in my crusade that I didn't realize that my villains actually had a family that could be hurt."

"It's not your fault that my dad's a scumbag." Steph's voice was watery and she hated that. She was not going to cry. Not in front of Bruce. Better change the subject. "Where's Tim?"

"He should still be at the manor." Bruce replied. "He's hanging out with Jason and Dick."

"Bet he's loving that." And Steph's smile that time felt more real. "I want to see him."

"I can ask Alfred to bring him by." Bruce leaned back in his chair. "He may be asleep, it's about eight in the morning and he was up really late."

"Tim doesn't sleep. He drinks too much coffee for that." Steph told him. "If it's already eight he probably tried to convince Jason and Dick he was fit to go to school."

"They wouldn't let him." Bruce assured her.

"Don't underestimate Tim. He's very deceiving."

"I'll let Alfred know you want to see him." Bruce stood up. "Don't over exert yourself, okay?"

"Sir yes sir!" She saluted with her good arm.

***

Tim didn't know why they wouldn't let him go to school. He had been to school on less sleep than three hours, which he told them many times. Dick put his foot down though, and here Tim was, trying to get more sleep. His body wouldn't shut down though. Now that he'd gotten some rest all he was thinking about was Steph.

"Tim?" Jason knocked on his door frame. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah." Tim shot up. "Why? What happened?"

"Steph wants to see you. Dick is going to drive us all to the hospital." Jason tossed his a lump of clothes. "These might fit you, but I don't think any of us were ever as small as you. We couldn't find any shoes we think would fit you. Are you sure you're twelve? You look eight."

"That's okay. I don't mind going barefoot." Tim told him, ignoring the last part of his sentence. Jason gave him some time to change and he ran down to the door where Dick and Jason were waiting for him.

"You ready?" Dick asked, and Tim nodded. "Good. Let's go."

Tim bounced in his seat almost the entire way to the hospital. When they finally arrived at Gotham General Tim was practically buzzing. Alfred was waiting for them at the entrance and he brought them up to Steph's room.

Steph looked a little worse for wear, but Tim had seen her with blood running down her face as he tried to stitch up a head wound. So he'd seen worse. At least her bone was back in her arm.

"You scared me." He rushed in and threw his arms around her. "Don't do it again."

"What, jump out of a two story window?" Steph snarked.

"No. Make me socialize with people I don't know." Tim snarked back. "I think Dick asked me about a thousand questions." He didn't let go and Steph didn't shove him away.

"Hey!" Dick whined from the doorway. "It wasn't that many!"

"It was." Tim whispered, and Steph snickered. "I felt like I was being interrogated. But I got my camera back!"

"Of course." Steph grinned. "I think I only heard you complain about losing it a million times." She scooted over, making enough room for Tim to sit next to her on the bed. He squeezed next to her.

"How cool is it that you get to tell people that you broke your arm jumping out of a window to avoid getting shot. When I broke my arm all I got to tell people was that I fell down the stairs." Tim pulled out a Sharpie and grabbed Steph's left arm.

"You must be Tim." A deep voice spoke up and Tim looked up to see Batman Bruce Wayne staring at him.

"Uhhhh..." Tim stared at him, willing his mouth to say something cool. Instead, he burst out "Can I have your autograph?" Batman Bruce Wayne stared at him for a moment before a deep booming laugh filled the room, causing everyone else to join in.

"Priceless!" Steph cackled.

"Stay still I'm trying to sign your cast!" Tim grumbled as everyone tried to collect themselves.

"I'm almost offended." Jason placed a hand over his heart. "Don't you want my autograph?"

"Ha ha." Tim replied dryly. "You all suck. This is why people say to never meet your heroes."

"Aww, come on Timmy, can I call you Timmy?" Dick laid an arm around his shoulder.

"Please don't."

"Timmy it is. We tease you because we like you." Dick grinned. "I can't believe we haven't met you yet."

"Yeah, he only followed you with a camera for five years." Steph snorted.

"You're like eight." Dick raised and eyebrow. "How on Earth have you followed us around that long?"

"First of all, I'm twelve. It's not that hard." Tim rolled his eyes and Steph snickered at him. He flicked her. "Second, it wasn't hard. I just snuck out and happened to run into you every once in a while. More often than not I went home with nothing until I memorized your patrol route."

"Now that you're both here," Bruce began (or was he being Batman right now?). "I want to ask how you figured out the secret."

"It wasn't me, look at Tiny Tim." Steph grinned and Jason muttered 'Tiny Tim oh my gosh' with a wicked grin on his face.

"What?" Tim flushed at the confused look Bruce sent him. "You mean it wasn't your dad that figured it out? Or that led to it?"

"Nope!" Steph grinned. "Dad's s.art, but not as smart as Tim." And Bruce, he just looked so upset (Tim tried not to be offended).

"I went to the circus when I was a kid." Tim mumbled. "Watched Dick Grayson do a quadruple somersault. Then Robin did the exact same one. I just matched up some injuries and stuff and figured it out."

"So your father doesn't know?" Bruce asked Steph.

"Nope!" Steph grinned. "He has no clue!" Tim watched as Bruce's shoulders slowly relaxed. He couldn't imagine what the threat to his secret identity had been doing to him. In fact, it seemed Bruce Wayne had a lot on his plate right now. After the thing with Jason, the thing with Steph, even the thing with ClueMaster, it's a surprise he's even still standing.

"Wait a second!" Dick held up a hand. "You figured it out while I was still Robin?"

"Uhh..." Tim didn't know what to say.

"He sure did!" Steph grinned. "All by himself!"

"I have failed at keeping a secret identity." Bruce mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"You should go to sleep." Tim told him. "You shouldn't be running yourself ragged."

"I have a meeting with Wayne Enterprises in an hour and a half." Bruce sighed. "And a ten year old figured out my secret identity." Tim decided not to correct him, it wouldn't do any of them good to know Bruce was off by a little bit.

"That's an hour and a half of sleep." Tim argued. "Besides, what do you need to be there for? Honestly, just skip it and blame it on a hangover or something. You need to go to bed."

"And how much sleep did you get last night?" Steph asked with a smirk on her face.

"Excuse you. I actually slept last night, so that's a win for me." Tim huffed. "It was, like, three hours."

"You need to sleep more." Bruce muttered.

"Pot, meet kettle." Tim deadpanned. "Now, I'm sure someone can take you home so you can sleep for at least six hours." He waved his hands. "Go. Shoo."

Bruce rolled his eyes but left with Alfred, Jason staring at Tim in awe. Dick stared at the door as if Bruce was going to burst back in yelling "Psyche!"

"You're my new hero." Dick looked at him. "I've never seen anyone tell Bruce off like that and have him actually listen."

"He was exhausted." Tim shrugged. "I was just telling him to do what he wanted to do."

"Then will you tell him to adopt Steph?" Jason asked, sitting down in one of the visitor's chairs.

"What?" All three present in the room turned to stare at him.

"He wants to do it." Jason shrugged. "He just wants her to be somewhere normal and stable. Somewhere where she doesn't feel the need to be a vigilante."

"I'm going to be a vigilante no matter where I am." Steph replied. "And the foster system isn't stable or normal at all. It wasn't as bad as j thought, but it's still not exactly a stable place for me to grow up."

"Why can't any of you tell him." Tim asked, shifting awkwardly.

"We probably could." Jason shrugged. "It might help. But I think you should tell him. You know Steph better than any of us, he'd trust your judgement concerning her."

"Okay." Tim looked at Steph. "Do you want that?"

"Bruce was more of a dad to me five minutes after I woke up here than my dad was for twelve years." Steph shrugged. "I wouldn't be opposed to it."

"Okay." Dick clapped his hands. "Looks like operation 'Make Steph a Bat' is a go!"

***

Bruce wasn't sure what was happening at first. Steph was around the manor a lot more after she was released. She wasn't there for training, just there. And Bruce didn't mind. It was nice having her around. But also confusing. It wasn't until Bruce found adoption papers in his desk that he realized what was happening.

"You want me to adopt Stephanie?" Bruce asked.

"She prefers Steph." Jason said. "And she needs a home that you could give her. You want to adopt her, you just won't let yourself because you enjoy being miserable."

"And if I did adopt her, that's something you would be okay with?" Bruce asked because he didn't want what happened with Dick and Jason to repeat itself.

"Are you kidding?" Jason asked. "If you don't adopt I think Dick will. And that would just be a disaster in the making."

Bruce hummed, looking over the adoption papers that had already been half filled out by Steph. He recognized her handwriting. She supported this too.

"Is it something you want?" Jason asked, raising an eyebrow. And it was. Jason was right, he wanted this. And if Steph wanted this, and Jason wanted this, and Dick wanted it, there was only one person he could think of that could stand in his way.

"I need a second." Bruce said, and fled out the door. He didn't take a car, the walk would clear his head. Besides, Drake Manor was close by.

When he knocked on the door, Bruce wasn't sure what he was expecting. A housekeeper maybe, or his father. But Tim opened the door, his curious face poking out from behind it.

"Hello Mr.Wayne." He said. "Come on in."

"Call me Bruce." Bruce answered, walking through the door. "I just need to ask you something. You know Steph better than any of us, so I figured I should talk to you, get your blessing if-"

"You can adopt Steph." Tim interrupted, then smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, you were taking a long time to get there. I figured that's what you meant."

"I, uh..." Bruce trailed off, not sure what he wanted to say.

"You're good for her." Tim told him. "First of all, you aren't attacking her, which is ways nice. ClueMaster set the bar pretty low on that one. Not to mention putting her anywhere normal would backfire, because Steph herself isn't normal. She's a lot like Jason, I'd think. You could be good for her the way you were for him."

Bruce didn't know how this twelve year old kid knew him so well, or how he came to be so smart. What Bruce did know was that he wanted to adopt Steph, and there was no reason not to.

***

The whole process was rather quiet. Steph chose to hyphenate he last name to Brown-Wayne as a tribute to her mom. Everything was done faster than usual, the way money opens doors. It didn't take long to finally make Steph an official part of the family.

But Steph still felt dread in her gut every time she left Tim's house. She was happy and safe, and she wanted the same for him. It wasn't fair.

She invited Tim over as often as she could. On days where he stayed late, she suggested he just stay the night. He slept in the guest room Alfred had prepared the night Steph broke her arm. He was staying over more and more, leaving his things here like clothes and books. He practically lived there. He came by after school (which Steph started going to again. Tim helped her get caught up) and stayed the night. He rarely went home any more.

Then his dad came back from Mali. Then, like the flip of a switch, Tim was gone.

"Where's Tim?" Bruce asked when he came home from work to find Steph alone on the couch doing her homework.

"He's at his house." Steph answered.

Bruce shot her a puzzled glance. "Did you guys have a fight?"

"No." Steph raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you know his dad was back?" He didn't answer. "You knew his dad was alive right?"

"I just figured with how often he was here..." Bruce trailed off. "How long is his dad staying?"

"A couple weeks tops." Steph put her math homework away. Glad that was done. "He's going to Romania next."

"I he bringing Tim with him?" And wow, Bruce looked distressed.

"No." Bruce relaxed. "He'll be back to free loading over here in no time."

Jason and Dick expressed similar sentiments. When Steph sat on her bed and the comm Tim kept on him came alive she told him "Everyone misses you."

"I've been gone for barely more than a day." Tim replied quietly.

"Yeah, but you've been here nonstop for months and now all of a sudden you just disappear. It freaked them out a bit. They thought we got in a fight or something."

"Of course they did." Tim was smiling, Steph could tell.

"How bad is it?" She asked, because honestly anything could happen now.

"So far nothing has happened." Tim whispered. "We've mainly avoided each other."

"Be careful, okay?

"I'm not the one training to be a vigilante." He deadpanned.

"And yet you're in more danger than I am."

"Don't worry. I'm going to be fine." Tim assured her.

"What if you just stayed here all the time?" Steph asked. "Maybe he wouldn't notice? Even if he does, we could just threaten him and send him on his way. He wouldn't bother you anymore and you'd be an honorary part of the family."

Tim was silent for a when, which was how Steph knew he really was thinking it over. "Do you think that would work?"

"Your dad isn't like my dad, he isn't necessarily evil." Steph explained. "I think we can persuade him. Where is he now?"

"In the kitchen grumbling about how he should hire someone to cook for him when he's home." Tim sighed. "I think he's in a good mood." Steph might have agreed if she hadn't heard loud thumping on Tim's end of the comm.

"Who are you talking to!" An angry sounding Jack Drake growled, his voice loud enough to carry through the comm.

"No one!" Tim answered. "Gotta go." He whispered, turning the comm off.

Steph knew better than to shout into the comm, it wouldn't do anything but hurt Tim. So she kept silent, going to dinner with the family. Bruce and Jason sat at the table (Dick was back in Bludhaven), and they spent most of it in silence.

"You okay?" Jason asked after they had finished eating.

"Fine." Steph smiled thinly. "Just missing Tim."

"Don't worry," Jason laid a hand on her shoulder and she tried not to flinch. "Like you said, he'll be back in a couple of weeks, tops."

"You're right." Steph sighed. "I think I'm going to bed. Good night."

"Night." Jason smiled warmly at her before she went in her room.

Steph couldn't sleep. She knew Tim had dealt with this kind of stuff a lot before, she knew that she dealt with worse, but everything seemed to be in a different perspective. All she could think about was how Jack had sounded so angry and how he sounded like Arthur had when he had snapped.

And all Steph could see any time she closed her eyes were her dad's hands wrapped around her mother's throat. When she finally fell into a fitful sleep, her dreams turned to Jack Drake's hands wrapped around Tim's neck.

She shot up in her bed, her hair wild and breathing hard. She had to get Tim out of that house. She wanted to barge into Bruce's room right bow and ask him to help her fix this. But, glancing at the clock (it was three thirty in the morning), Steph decided that he needed the sleep. She did too, but there was no way she was sleeping again tonight.

She sat in bed with the comm in her ear, waiting for Tim to call her. If he needed her he would call.

At almost five in the morning the comm crackled to life. "Steph?" Tim's meek voice broke into the comm. "Can you come over please?"

"On my way." Steph opened the door quietly, looking both ways down the hall. It looked like Bruce's and Jason's lights were off. They were still asleep.

Right as Steph was about to open the door, the light in the entryway turned on.

"Stephanie?" Alfred asked, still in his pajamas. Steph had never seen the man look so unruffled.

"Alfred!" Steph grinned. "Hey! I was, uh, just going out for a walk?"

"May I suggest some shoes then?" Steph looked down at her bare feet and smiled sheepishly. "When will you be back?"

"Probably before breakfast." Steph promised. "If not, I'll call. Okay? Don't tell Bruce."

And with that she was out the door.

***

"There is a knife in your hand!" Steph shrieked, trying to keep her voice down.

"First of all, it's a cheese spreader." Tim corrected. "Second, and this is more important, I don't know what to do! Do I take it out? Leave it in?"

"I don't know, I have yet to be stabbed Tim." She replied dryly.

"Does this really count as a stab wound?" Tim asked, holding up his hand. The knife cheese spreader was embedded right in his palm, the end sticking out the other side of his hand.

"Tim I don't know how to fix this!" Steph snapped. "I told Alfred I'll be back by breakfast, which is in-" she glanced at a clock "half an hour. You need to come by the manor. They'll help you."

"But this is embarrassing!" Tim replied. "Look at me! I couldn't even get stabbed by a real knife!"

"Relax. We can improvise!" Steph pulled out her phone. "I'm calling Alfred."

"What?" Tim asked. "Why?"

"Hello?" Alfred's voice rang through the phone.

"Hey Alfred. If, hypothetically speaking, a friend happened to impale their hand with a knife-"

"Cheese spreader."

"Sorry. A cheese spreader, what should I do?"

"I would, hypothetically of course, suggest calling a hospital." Alfred's voice was dry. "If, however, your friend is unable to do so, they should come by the manor." Oh goodness Alfred thought she was talking about herself. "Do you need me to pick you up?"

"Uhhhh..." Steph glanced at Tim, who vigorously shook his head. "No. We'll manage."

"We?" Steph hung up.

"Let's go." Steph finally looked away from his hand, seeing his face. "Goodness gracious Tim what happened?"

"It looks worse than it is?" Tim smiled, but it looked like it hurt. The entire left side of his face looked purple or black, and his cheek was swollen to the point she didn't think he could even see out of that eye. "If you think this is bad you should see my stomach."

"How are you even awake?" Steph asked, creeping down the stairs.

"I have a cheese spreader in my hand, I'm pretty hyped up on adrenaline." Tim once again waved a hand in front of her face once again.

"I should have taken Alfred up on that ride." She sighed.

They stumbled towards the manor, this entire thing feeling slightly familiar, only the roles were reversed. Alfred opened the door as they approached it, his eyebrows practically disappearing above his hairline.

"Timothy." He greeted.

"Hey Alfred." Tim grinned. The light on the porch made his bruises look really bad (though they were already terrible). "Can I come in?"

***

"I am not going to a hospital." Tim stared defiantly at them. "I'm absolutely fine!"

"You are literally a giant bruise!" Jason argued. "And you have a knife in your hand!"

"It's a cheese spreader."

"Why is that what you choose to focus on?" Jason snapped. "It's literally the least important detail."

"I think it's pretty important. There are worse things I could have been stabbed with." Tim crossed his arms, standing his ground. "And I don't need to go to a hospital. My dad is leaving tomorrow morning anyways, so it's not like this is going to happen again."

"Until he comes home again." Steph retaliated. Tim shot her a betrayed glance.

"I thought you'd be on my side!" He frowned. "Traitor."

"Maybe a couple months ago." Steph told him. "But things are different now. We have people in our corner."

"Why does it matter?" Tim asked. "If I cod shake it off before I can shake it off now!"

"No!" Steph snapped. "Things change Tim!"

"How have things changed?" Tim argued. "My dad is the same as he's ever been!"

"Because I know better now!" Steph's voice cracked and all fight Tim had in him fled. He didn't want Steph to cry, that was never his goal. People like his dad made others cry, and Tim would never be anything like his dad. "And I am not going to let what happened to my mother happen to you!"

And everything made sense. The way Steph wasn't willing to let it go, the fact that she hadn't stepped more than three feet away from him since she had gotten to his house. "Steph." His voice was soft, he kept it quiet. (He didn't like yelling, it made him scared he was becoming like his dad.) He pulled her into his arms, hating the way he felt right now.

"You were right." She whispered. "Putting my dad in prison, it didn't fix everything. It made me feel a little better but lately... Every time I try to fall asleep I see him in my mom and I watch and don't do anything. I'm not going to let that happen to you too."

"There was nothing you could have done Steph." Tim assured her.

"You weren't there." She muttered. "How would you know?"

"If you had tried anything he would have killed you too." Tim squeezed her tighter if that was even possible. He ignored the way the hug hurt his ribs, he leaned into it. If Steph had died...Tim didn't know what he would have done. He probably would have shattered. She was all he had left. "Trust me, it wasn't your fault."

"Just like how this isn't your fault?" Jason asked and Tim jumped, almost falling over. He had forgotten the others were there.

"Fine!" He sighed, it wasn't worth fighting anymore (he was so tired when was the last time he slept?). "We'll go to the hospital. I would suggest not having me drive since I have a knife in my hand."

"First of all," Steph held up a finger, a smile breaking out on her face "you're way too young to drive you absolute dork. And secondly, it's not a knife it's a cheese spreader."

***

Tim did his best to ignore the papers for the next few days. He didn't want to see what the paparazzi was saying. He definitely didn't want to see pictures of the police apprehending his dad at the airport before he could board his flight.

It wasn't hard to ignore the news. He stayed overnight at the hospital (it wasn't really overnight considering he got there at five thirty in the morning) for observation. He was already quickly, there was no internal bleeding. All they had to do was wrap his ribs and prescribe him some powerful painkillers to take the edge off. He stayed at the guest room his room in the manor, reading books in the library and watching a Marvel movie marathon with Steph. They were on Captain America the Winter Soldier when Bruce interrupted, stealing Tim to his study for a moment.

"I know this may seem a little unexpected, but it can't be that unexpected after what happened with Steph, it's just, you already live here and I know Steph would love it if you stayed and I don't necessarily want to replace your dad but-" Tim stopped him.

"You're rambling. Are you nervous about something?" He raised an eyebrow at him, unsure of what Bruce could possibly be nervous about.

"I want to adopt you." Bruce finally blurted, running a hand through his hair and sighing. "I have the paperwork drawn up and I know that you probably don't want another father figure in your life so soon but-"

"You're rambling again." Tim deadpanned. He didn't say anything for a second, taking a second to actually think things over. Bruce seemed worried Tim was comparing him to his dad, but that wasn't the case. Tim wasn't worried Bruce was going to hurt him, because Bruce would never think about hurting one of his kids. In fact, Tim wasn't comparing Bruce to Jack Drake at all, rather he was comparing him to Crystal Brown.

Bruce had the same love for Steph in his eyes that Crystal did. The same love that the mom's Tim used to think about did whenever they picked their kids up from school. Tim remembered how he used to think about what it would be like if his mom were alive, how he wondered if his parents would sit with him for family meals at dinner time. And then he thought about what it had been like those few months he had spent at the manor, the dinners he'd attended. Tim considered asking for more time to think about it, because he liked to consider all the variables, but really...he didn't need any more time to think about it.

Tim had spent his entire life wishing he had a mom to look at him the way Crystal looked at Steph, the way the mom's in Tim's kindergarten class looked at their kids. Now, he realized he didn't need a mom to look at him that way, because he had a dad.

"Yeah." Tim finally answered. "I'd like that."

***

Two and a half weeks later, Steph and Tim we're sitting on his bed, eating Skittles and trying to finish their history homework.

"I think this is the first time in a really long time neither of us has been injured." Tim finally said, changing the subject.

"Yeah." Steph mumbled. "It's kind of nice. I worry about you, you're pretty reckless."

"I'm reckless?" Tim asked. "I'm not the one that's a vigilante."

"You could be you know." Steph leaned against the headboard, grinning at him. "Bruce would probably train you."

Tim frowned. Even after being away from his dad for almost three weeks, it hadn't entirely sunk in that his dad was gone yet. It still made Tim uncomfortable to even think about raising his voice at someone. He didn't think he could ever hit anyone, he didn't want to become his dad. Maybe when he got older, when he felt he was more likely to become like Bruce when hitting someone than his father, maybe then Tim would entertain the idea. For now...

"I think I'll stick to computers." He told her. "Brains over brawn and all that."

"Excuse you!" Steph grinned. "I have brains!"

"Your answer to question twelve is wrong." Tim flicked her pencil.

"Well you're answer to question eight is wrong!" She replied.

"What?" He glanced at the question, realizing that it was, indeed, wrong. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because it was about time you got less than a one hundred percent on something." Steph tossed her eraser towards him. "Relax, it's not the end of the world."

They worked in silence for a few more minutes until Tim broke it once again. "You're happy, right?"

"Yeah." Steph decided after a moments hesitation. "I am. You?"

"Yeah." Tim grinned. "Happier than I've ever been."

"Good." Steph announced. "It's about time you had a chance to be happy."

"Pot, meet kettle." Tim replied, and they both got back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like how this ended up. It may be slightly cliche because Bruce wound up adopting everyone, but meh. I'm kind of a sucker for these kinds of fics.
> 
> Not pictured and possible one shots in the future--
> 
> -Bruce interrogating ClueMaster, thinking he knows his identity  
> -Dick visiting from Bludhaven after seeing the news about Tim's dad  
> -Damian coming along (things change)  
> -Tim eventually becoming a vigilante

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me if there's anything I can improve on this. I need constructive criticism. I don't know when the next chapter will be up, it's sort of written. I only vaguely know where this story is going. Also this is my first time on this site. This story is not completed!!! If anyone can explain to me how to make it look bot completed that would be fantastic.


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